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Election 2018: The biggest moments you may have missed during Surprise candidate forums

Upcoming elections in the Valley

Phoenix-area cities could see plenty of political change in 2018. Most local elections will be held in August, with run-off elections in November, if necessary.
Rob Schumacher/The Republic

Upcoming elections in the Valley

Phoenix Mayor Greg Stanton is expected to resign to run for Congress, which will trigger a special election to fill the vacancy - and will likely lead to a domino effect of vacancies as council members resign to run for mayor.
Mark Henle/The Republic

Blame was thrown around for the flawed Bullard Avenue project and stalled downtown Surprise development, a candidate was called out for dismissed criminal charges and others were degraded for accepting lofty campaign contributions from special interests.

Controversial subjects arose this week and last at Surprise City Council candidate forums hosted by the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce, which broadcast some of the events live on its Facebook page.

Every district council seat is up for grabs this year, except the District 4 seat held by Councilman Ken Remley. Each incumbent faces one or two challengers.

Residents vote only for the council seat representing their district. (The city has a tool and a map on its website so residents can find their districts.) To read more about the background of each candidate and their platforms, check out azcentral'svoters guide.

For those who missed the forums, here's what stood out:

District 1: Cunningham, Grim and Winters

Jim Cunningham and Raymond Grim are challenging incumbent Councilman Roland Winters in District 1, which sprawls across northwest Surprise.

The candidates were asked for their core values.

Winters said his is transparency. He talked about the importance of responding to constituents via phone or email.

Yet, Winters previously told The Arizona Republic he does not have a campaign email because he doesn't often use computers.

Grim told the crowd that council members should be willing to communicate with constituents using new forms of communication, such as Facebook and Snapchat.

He said his values are limited government, financial responsibility, low taxes and communication. “I believe the government should stay out of our way as much as possible and not put burdensome regulations upon citizens or upon businesses.”

Cunningham said his core value was honesty. "People who worked with me in different divisions around the country knew I stood for honesty and ethics and openness," he said.

The candidates all hesitated when asked to name the first area of the budget they would cut if the city was to face financial hardship. Cunningham said he would take suggestions from department heads, but never named a budget area he would cut. Grim said it would need to be across-the-board cuts. Winters said recreation.

CLOSE

Surprise's downtown includes its city hall, a library, a four-year university and plans for new popular restaurants.
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Perhaps the most telling moment occurred during closing comments, when Winters called out Grim for past dismissed criminal charges.

"One of my opponents, Mr. Grim, was arrested on suspicion of domestic violence, cited for animal cruelty, filed bankruptcy and several other charges," Winters said.

Grim first chided Winters for not talking to him first before bringing the charges up in public. He then said the domestic-abuse charge, which involved his ex-wife in 1999, was dismissed, and he and other family members later had to file protective orders against his ex-wife.

He also told the crowd that the animal neglect case, from 2005, was dismissed.

But while the case was dismissed, it was dismissed only after Grim pleaded guilty and completed a court order.

Grim told TheRepublic he was in financial trouble at the time and decided to rent his house. When he moved out, he said he left his two dogs and the person renting his house agreed to care for them.

Police were called in response to a dog fight at the house. When an officer got there, he noted the dogs were malnourished. The renter told police she just moved in that day, had tried to feed the dogs and they began fighting.

"The ribs on the black dog were easily seen and the hind pelvic bone could also be easily seen," the officer wrote in a police report The Republic obtained under Arizona Public Records Law.

The charge was dismissed after Grim paid $1,000, completed 24 hours of community service, and completed one year of probation.

Grim said he did not neglect the dogs while they were in his care. Asked if he would have handled the situation differently now, Grim said he would have taken the dogs to a shelter.

Regarding his bankruptcy, Grim said it was about 10 years ago and related to financial hardships from his divorce and custody battle.

District 2: Cline, Hayden and Fountain

Alyson Cline and Wendell Fountain are challenging incumbent Councilwoman Nancy Hayden in District 2, which includes Sun City Grand. Hayden was appointed to the council in February to fill the seat of her late husband, Jim Hayden.

This is a special election to elect the person to serve out the rest of that term, for two years.

The candidates were asked about their volunteer experience.

Cline, who has lived in the city for 16 years, said she has volunteered more than 18,000 hours in the last 10 years. She said she has coached for a city parks and recreation program, served on the city's Disability Advisory Commission, was on the executive board for the Sun Health Foundation and ran the city's Relay for Life for five years.

Fountain said he served on a financial board for a credit union in Florida before officially moving to the city full time one year ago.

Hayden, who has also lived in the city for 16 years, said she has "never had the privilege of having the time to do charity work" because she has had to support herself.

The candidates shared somewhat different views on taxes. They all said the city needs to try to bring in more business to increase its tax base.

"My dream is to keep taxes down as much as possible," Hayden said.

Cline said that while no one wants to pay taxes, "we also want to have community parks, we want to have our Surprise training center."

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SECOND SUNDAYS FOOD TRUCK FESTIVAL: The city of Surprise partnered with State 48 Brewery to turn Second Sundays in the Park into a new event -- Second Sundays Food Truck Festival. It is a family event with food trucks, bands performing live and the State 48 Brewery beer tent. It takes place the second Sunday of the month through May at 8-Acres Park on N. Bullard Ave. Nick Oza/ The Republic

SENIOR IDOL CONTEST AND SHOW: If 15 minutes of fame has thus far eluded you, it's not too late to claim it at the Surprise Senior Idol Contest and Show. Winners in categories of dancing, singing, karaoke and "other" perform to an audience that grows every year and is now more than 900. Judges appraise the talent but it's the raucous audience who votes for the winners. Carlos Chavez/The Republic

SPRING TRAINING AT SURPRISE STADIUM: Play hooky from work and attend a Cactus League spring-training game. The trick to scoring tickets on the morning you decide to cross out "work" from your to-do list is to be flexible. A little advice: Weekday games early in March offer the widest selection of seats. And the best seat selection is often for games in the West Valley, including Surprise. Michael Chow/The Republic

SAIGON KITCHEN: The Saigon Kitchen dispenses with the kitschy decor for an urban/casual restaurant serving authentic Vietnamese fare. Start with the chewy, fresh spring rolls before moving on. Things get trickier from here. Choose from one of the bahn mi, or traditional Vietnamese sandwiches, or the soy garlic Cornish hen. Or get them both and split it with someone. Michael McNamara/The Arizona Republic

UPTOWN ALLEY: Uptown Alley is the place to go when groups of family and friends want to be together but can't agree on how to play together. The entertainment complex features a 40-lane bowling alley, a sports theater, laser tag, billiards room and other activities. If people can't agree on what to eat, the Red Embers Bar & Grill offers choices from tailgate fare to specialty salads and steaks to pasta and pizza. Crystal Ochoa/The Republic

SPECIAL OLYMPICS STATE FALL GAMES: The Special Olympics State Fall Games bring competitors in swimming, softball and bocce together in a quest to qualify for the national tournament. The two-day competition highlights the hard work and heart of 1,200 Special Olympic athletes. Additional events include opening ceremonies, victory dance and Olympic village. Cheryl Evans/The Republic

WHITE TANK MOUNTAIN REGIONAL PARK: White Tank Mountain Regional Park takes more than a day trip to see all of its 30,000 acres of scenic splendor. But a good overview starts at the Waddell Trail with its cholla, saguaro and paloverde. The trail leads deep into Ford Canyon where shallow basins of bedrock often hold water — where the "tanks" get their name. An old rock dam, about two miles from the trailhead, offers an ideal place for day-trippers to turn around. Michael Schennum/The Republic

SURPRISE PARTY: It's a Surprise Party that goes on for days. Revelers enjoy hot-air balloons, skydivers, live music, a classic-car show, a tree-lighting ceremony, elephant and camel rides, and fireworks the first weekend in December. Get in some holiday shopping, too, with an arts and crafts festival featuring one-of-a-kind gifts. Surprise

SURPRISE COMMUNITY PARK: Spend a day at the Surprise Community Park. There's a playground splash pad, dog park, picnic tables, and lighted basketball, volleyball and pickleball courts, as well as a 5-acre urban fishing lake. The park is nearby the Surprise Aquatic Center, Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex, the Maricopa County Northwest Regional Library and Surprise Stadium. Carlos Chavez/The Republic

ROSES AT WOOLF LEYTON FARMS: A rose is a rose unless it's grown on a rose farm. Woolf Leyton Roses harvests 5 million to 6 million rosebushes a year, which are sold to garden stores around the country. They grow about 300 types of roses. Rose bushes grown in Arizona account for half of all the roses sold in the nation. No exaggeration. Now it's not a farm that gives unannounced tours, but to see and smell the fields in bloom in early spring is worth at least a drive-by. Pat Shannahan/The Republic

SURPRISE TENNIST AND RACQUET COMPLEX: Play tennis, racquetball and table tennis at one of the top centers in the country, Surprise Tennis and Racquet Complex. Join a league or participate in some drop-in tennis or visit during one of the professional tournaments. The complex is continually hosting family events with co-sponsors like Nickelodeon. Patrick Breen/The Republic

SURPRISE WOMEN'S HERITAGE TRAIL: The Surprise Women's Heritage Trail pays homage to Flora Statler, who purchased, platted and marketed lots in what would grow from a small, migrant community to one of the state's 10 largest cities. Statler and other prominent Surprise women are part of the this self-guided tour. Tour maps are located at City Hall or at the Visitors' Center in the Surprise Regional Chamber of Commerce. Surprise

Hit the greens year round at any of the eight championship golf courses. The course at Cimarron at Sun City Grand was designed by one of the country's most successful course architects, Greg Nash, and features 54 strategically placed bunkers and water features on nine out of 18 holes. Getty Images

SURPRISE AQUATIC CENTER: There's swimming, always welcome in the desert heat. And there's swimming plus amusement park fun at the Surprise Aquatic Center. The 4,700-square-foot water play area with a zero-depth area also features two waterslides, a flume, a tunnel and a vortex whirlpool. A competition pool, a diving well and two, 1-meter diving boards give more serious swimmers a chance to hone their skills. Patrick Breen/The Republic

WHITE TANK LIBRARY AND NATURE CENTER: Visit the national green-building-certified White Tank Library and Nature Center in Waddell. The building's natural surroundings and architecture are complemented by a modern library that is organized by subject, not the Dewey Decimal system. Go beyond book learning at the nature center, which has several live critters like snakes, tarantulas and a Gila monster. Carlos Chavez/The Republic

Hayden, who wasn't present for the council's vote on the topic, didn't say whether she agreed with the decision. She said she thought the idea behind the raise was to attract younger people to run for council.

Cline said that she agreed with the decision to raise the salaries. "I think the real issue was there was no public input on this issue," she said.

Fountain said he thought the decision was "reprehensible" and he would rescind it if he was on the council.

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Asked what they would do to ensure transparency on the council, Duffy said "you have to be an open book."

Norberg said that she has heard the council is holding secret meetings with land owners and with planning and zoning.

"This is stuff that has to stop," she said. "These meetings should be held in public."

She added that if she is on the council and knows about a secret meeting, she would let the public know.

District 5: Hall and Mankiewicz

Leo Mankiewicz is challenging incumbent Councilman Skip Hall in District 5 in the heart of Surprise, including the area around City Hall.

Asked about what was best for the future of Surprise City Center, Mankiewicz said Surprise does not need "more rooftops" in that area, and it should be a true mixed-use site.

Hall emphasized that the development will be market-driven. He said residents want a walkable downtown, with retail shops, bookstores and park benches.

The crowd enjoyed one moment of the forum when the candidates were asked how they would sell Surprise to a performing arts center looking for a place to locate.

Hall went first, giving a speech about all of the spendable income in the community, the arts already in place, the potential for city center and the rate at which Surprise is growing.

Leo Mankiewicz and Skip Hall(Photo: Jen Fifield/The Republic)

When it was Mankiwicz's turn to make his pitch to the imaginary arts center, he started with, "As my assistant Skip just said ..."

The candidates gave fairly similar answers to some of the questions.

Asked after the forum what distinguished him from his competitor, Mankiewicz said he watches out for the interests of the voters first, when his competitor pays more attention to the interests of developers.

"I'm focused on the families," Mankiewicz said.

Hall received $2,261 in campaign contributions before the last filing deadline earlier in July, while Mankiewicz has not received any.

Hall said after the forum that he accepted donations from one of the owners of land in downtown Surprise and an owner of car dealerships.

But, he said, that doesn't make him beholden to special interests.

"Developers, they like me and respect me," he said. "That doesn't mean I say yes to them."

Asked after the forum what distinguished him from Mankiewicz, Hall said he gives concrete examples of his successes and his plans, while Mankiewicz is "more abstract."

District 6: Cultum, Judd and Tande

Asked about how the city should address future north-south traffic congestion, Judd gave an answer that made the audience laugh.

"One thing I wouldn't do," he said. "I wouldn't take two perfectly good lanes and convert them to golf cart lanes."

Surprise is reconstructing Bullard Avenue to bring it back to two lanes in each direction after residents criticized the city's decision to reduce lanes and add space for neighborhood electric vehicles in 2015.(Photo: Jeff Gibbs)

Judd was referring to Bullard Avenue from Greenway to Peoria avenues, which was restriped to add a golf cart lane in 2015. The decision immediately sparked outrage, with many people reaching out to the city to complain.

The point was to calm traffic on the road, which has several schools.

The city is now reconstructing the road to bring it back to two lanes in each direction and add traffic signals at Acoma Drive and Sweetwater Avenue.

Cultum said Reems and Litchfield roads are more congested now because of what happened on Bullard. The city also needs to work on coordinating lights better.

Tande said the city has already done improvements on Litchfield, and improved signaling on Bell Road.

Later in the forum, he explained that the work on Bullard Avenue "always has been about the safety of our school children." He said he called for a task force and community meetings for how to fix the road, and the project will soon be completed.

When the candidates were asked how transparency would factor into their work as a councilman, Cultum said that some of the current council members had been "purchased."

Judd said something similar.

"Sunlight is a great disinfectant," he said. "When bad actors are brought out into the open and light shines on them, it forces them to act in the community's best interest."

Tande said government has many controls to make sure money is spent in the right place. He brought up his experience serving as a chief financial officer for a county's public safety department in Indiana. He also said he initiated the "It's Your Money" portal on the city's website, which shows where city funds are spent.

The issue of campaign donations came up after the candidates were asked what factors were used in crafting their campaigns.

Tande, who went first on the question, said his first priority has been getting out and talking to people.

But his campaign by far also has the most money to work with.

Of the about $17,588 Tande raised by the last filing deadline earlier this month, $10,000 has come from firefighter groups and $5,000 were personal contributions.

Judd said he knew he was going up against a well-funded campaign. He put about $2,719 into his campaign, which has raised a total of $2,759.

Cultum contributed $100 to his own campaign and did not raise any money. He said while his competitors are "pouring money into their campaigns" he is listening to residents.